Emergency auxiliary circuit switch and lighting system

ABSTRACT

An emergency auxiliary circuit switch and lighting system for use in the home and the like wherein both the normal circuit and the emergency circuit are supplied from the same main power source with the emergency switch connected so that in the event of an overload in the normal circuit resulting in the opening of the fuse or circuit breaker protecting the circuit then the emergency switch will automatically connect the emergency lighting circuit to the power source in a manner to provide limited illumination in a selected area, and when the emergency is over and the fuse restored so that the normal circuit is again operation, then the emergency switch will automatically disconnect the emergency lighting circuit and return the same to a standby condition.

United States Patent [1 1 Vore [76] Inventor: Richard E. Vore, R.R. No. l, Eaton, 'Ind. 47338 [22] Filed: June 27, 1973 [21 Appl. No.: 373,988

[52] US. Cl 307/39, 307/131, 315/91, v 315/121 [51] Int. Cl. H05b 37/04 [58] Field of Search 315/91, 121, 125, 127; 307/131, 39

[56] References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 3,660,714 5/1972 Chandler 315/127 X 3,611,432 10/1971 Babcock 315/125 X 3,345,538 10/1967 Peterson et a1. 315/127 X 2,131,664 9/1938 Johansen 315/121 X 4/1916 Hynes ..3l7/40AX [111 3,809,917 [451 May 7,1974

Primary Examiner-Robert K. Schaffer Assistant Examiner-William J. Smith [57] ABSTRACT An emergency auxiliary circuit switch and lighting system for use in the home andthe like wherein both the normal circuit and the emergency circuit are supplied from the same main power source with the emergency switch connected so that in the event of an overload in the'normal circuit resulting in the opening of the fuse or circuit breaker protecting the circuit then the emergency switch will automatically connect the emergency lighting circuit to the power source in a manner to provide limited illumination in a selected area, and when the emergency is over and the fuse restored so that the normal circuitis again operation, then the emergency switch will automatically disconnect the emergency lighting circuit and return the same to a standby condition. i

5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures SOUPCE- 3 20 NORMAL J M z -,26 CIRCUIT Z7 I, v v EMERGENCY A 1 LIGHTING Z1 CIRCUIT 1. a

wgmgnm 1:914 3.809.917

1/ POWER 4 J] A J6) /7 sOuRcE T /Z3 Z0 NORMAL J2 J2 CIRCUIT EMERGENCY LIGHTING CIRCUIT 11 j] POWER SOURCE NORMAL C/RC U/T EMERGENCY LIGH TING 27 c/RcU/ T BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates generally to electric lighting systems and particularly to an emergency lighting switch and associated emergency lighting systems automatically operable upon the de-energization of the normal circuit with which it is associated due to an overload condition or the like.

2. Description of the Prior Art It has been known in the prior art to provide emergency lighting systems .wherein, due to an interruption of the main power source, such as caused by line failure, to automatically connect an auxiliary lighting system to an auxiliary power source until the main power source has been restored, at which time the circuit then automatically returns to the main power source with the auxiliary and emergency systems being automatically cut off and returned to a standby condition this type of emergency equipment is quite expensive as it normally includes standby batteries, motor-generator sets, and complicated switch arrangements so that the use of this equipment is normally restricted to hospitals, public gathering places, and the like where it is absolutely essential the electrical power be maintained at all times to certain specific critical areas, such as operating rooms, hallways, passageways, and the like in order to prevent a disaster from occurring.

Thus, while prior art devices are available to automatically switch from between a main power source and an emergency power source, such are quite expensive and not generally suited for home or business use where emergency illumination would be desirable in the event of a fuse failure to provide emergency power from the main power source until the situation has been corrected.

Further, such prior art devices are designed to operate only when the normal power source fails, whereas most of the time it is merely a fuse or a circuit breaker which opens the circuit in response to an overload of the circuit such that it would be desirable to maintain some type of illumination in the general areas served by the normal circuit until the situation is rectified and the fuse or circuit breaker restored to a normal operating condition.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention overcomes the problems arising in prior emergency lighting systems by providing an emergency auxiliary lighting circuit switch automativ cally operable upon a fuse or circuit breaker opening so as to energize an emergency lighting system providing limited illumination and electrical power within a general area from the normal power source until the fuse or circuit breaker has been restored to operating condition.

It is a further feature of the present invention to provide an emergency lighting system and control switch which derives its power from the normal power source or line voltage.

Still a further feature of the present invention is the provision of an emergency lighting switch and lighting system which is simple, inexpensive, capable of operation with only a minimum amount of electrical power, is virtually maintenance free while being capable of many consecutive operations, and which suited for mounting in or adjacent to a fuse or circuit breaker panel of a home, office, or the like as either a part of the original installed equipment or added later as an accessory item at a minimum of expense.

Yet still a further feature of the present invention is the provision of an emergency auxiliary circuit switch and associated lighting system adapted for operation in a fail-safe manner such that upon failure of the switch I or any components thereof the same will automatically energize the emergency lighting system providing a warning to supervisory personnel that a malfunction has taken place in the switch permitting the same to be corrected immediately such that the switch is always properly operable in times of emergency.

Other features and advantages 'of this invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIG. 1 there is shown an alternating current power source 10 connected via suitable electrical lines 11 and 12 to a typical electrical supply circuit embodying the principles of the invention. Line 11 is connected in series with a fuse 15 which, via wire 16, is connected to any desirable normal circuit load 17 within the electrical rating capacity of the fuse 15, the circuit being completed via wire 18 connecting the opposite end of the normal circuit back to the line 12 of the power source 10. It is to be understood that the normal circuit 17 represents any power load, such as a lighting circuit, household circuit, business machine circuit, and any other specific circuit or combination of electrical loads, the only restriction being the normal requirement that the electrical loads not exceed the capacity of the fuse 15.

A relay 20 is provided having an alternating current energization coil 21 connected in parallel with the normal circuit 17 via a wire 22 connecting one end of the coil to wire 18 with a wire 23 connecting the opposite end of the coil to wire 16. The relay 20 is provided with a movable contact arm 25 and a stationary normally closed contact 26, the movable contact arm 25 being connected via a wire 27 to line 11 with the stationary contact being connected via a wire 28 to one end of an emergency lighting circuit 29, the opposite end of the emergency lighting circuit being connected via a wire 30 to wire 18. Movable contact arm 25 is biased toward the normally closed contact 26 such as by a spring (not shown) to maintain contact with stationary contact 26 except upon energization of coil 21 which acts to separate movable contact arm 25 from the stationary contact arm 26.

An alternative embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 2, and as this embodiment is similar to that shown in FIG. 1 except that the relay utilizes a direct current coilin association with a full wave bridge rectifier, similar reference numerals have been applied to the elements of FlG. 2 as utilized in FIG. 1 for those elements which provide an identical function in both embodiments. I

Referring now to H6. 2, relay 20 is provided with a direct current energization coil 31 which is connected across output terminals 32 and 33 of .a bridge rectifier designated generally by reference numeral 35 having input terminals 36 and 37 with four diodes 38-41 arranged to provide a full-wave rectified signal across the pair of output terminals 32, 33. Input 36 of bridge 35 is connected via a wire 43 to wire 16 with input terminal 37 being connected via a wire 44 to wire 18 such that the bridge 35 is connected in parallel with the normal circuit 17.

It is thus seen in both embodiments that the normal circuit 17 is connected inparallelwith the coil 21 or 31 of the relay 20, the parallel circuit combination protected against current overloads by the fuse 15 connected in series therewith intermediate the power source 10. It is further seen that in each embodiment the emergency lighting circuit 29 is connected in parallel with the normal circuit 17 and associated relay 20 except-that the emergency lighting circuit is not connected in series with the fuse or circuit breaker 15 but rather is only controlled by the operationof movable contact arm 25 into and out of engagement with the stationary contact 26.

It is thus seen that while the normal circuit 17 and the emergency lighting circuit 29 are in general parallel re-' lationship in the, circuit and are each supplied from the same main powersource 10, the emergency lighting circuit 29 is not protected by fuse 15 but rather is directly connected in series with the power source and is controlled by the operation of relay 20. e

In operation, and as long as the proper current conditions prevail in the main power source alternating current system, the relay coil 21 or 31 is continuously energized to hold the movable contact arm 25 apart from the stationary contact 26 so that emergency lighting circuit is not energized during normal operation of the normal circuit 17. However, if the fuse or circuit breaker 15 opens the normal circuit ,17 due to an overload or malfunction in the circuit, thenthe coil 21 or 31 of the'relay 20 is de-energized with the movable contact arm returning to its normally closed position under the urging of the spring (not shown) to complete the electrical circuit between the emergency lighting circuit 20 and the normal main power source thus automatically energizing the emergency lighting circuit to provide limited illumination and limited electrical power in general areaswhere required while the normal circuit is being worked on and restored to normal operating condition. When the proper current conditionsare restored in the normal circuit 17, the fuse or circuit breaker is restored to complete thenormal circuit, this energizing the coil 21 or 31 of the relay to open the emergency lighting circuit switch by moving movable contact arm apart from stationary contact 26 thus de-energizing the emergency lighting circuit upon the re-establishing of the electrical connection between the normal circuit 17 and the power source 10.

Itis thus seen that the relay 20 serves to automatically connect and disconnect the emergency lighting 4 circuit depending upon the condition of fuse or circuit breaker 15 such that there is always at least limited illumination and power available in general areas in cases of emergency. I

The alternative embodiment of FIG. 2 utilizes a fullwave bridge rectifier 35 connected for energization of a direct current coil 31 from the alternating'current power source 10, this permitting the utilization of direct current coils with their associated advantages as to long life, low power requirement, and the like should the same be desirable in the manufacture of the auxiliary circuit switch of the present invention;

There is thus provided an inexpensive emergency 'auxiliary circuit switch and associated lighting system readily adapted for utilization in the home and business to provide emergency lighting from the normal power herewith shown and described is to be taken as pre ferred examples of the same, and that this invention is not to be limited to the exact arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings ordescribed in this specification as various changes in the details of construction as to shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of the novel concepts thereof, or the scope of the sub-joined claims. 4

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is: a I

1. An emergency auxiliary circuit switch and lighting system comprising: t

a pair of input power linesproviding a normal alternating current power source;

a current sensitive fuse type device having one end connected to a first one of the input lines with the opposite end connected to a first end of a normal circuit consisting of an electrical load such as lights, electric power devices, and the like, and an opposite second end of the normal circuit being connected to the second one of the input lines;

sensing means responsive to an interruption in the operation of the normal circuit due to the deenergization of the circuit by the opening of the current sensitive device;

a switch actuated by the sensing means adapted to connect the normal power source to an emergency lighting and power circuit;

the emergency lighting and power circuit having one end of the circuit connected to the second end of the normal circuit with the opposite end of the emergency circuit being connected to. a first contact of the switch, a second switch contact being connected to the first one of the input lines,

' the switch adapted to electrically connect and disconnect the first and second contacts? whereby upon interruption of the normal circuit by opening of the current sensitive device the switch .will electrically connect the two contacts of the switch in a manner to energize the emergency lighting circuit providing limited illumination and power in a general selected area until the normal circuit is returned to normal operation, with the switch automatically de-energizing the emergency lighting circuit upon restoration of the current sensitive device to the normal operating condition.

2. An emergency auxiliary circuit switch and lighting system as claimed-inclaim 1 wherein the sensing means comprises an energization coil of a relay, the coil being connected in parallel with the first and second ends of the normal circuit in a manner providing simultaneous electrical energization of both the coil and the normal circuit through the fuse type device, the energization of the coil retaining the switch inan open position interrupting the current-flow to the emergency lighting circuit and preventing energization thereof, the switch being urged into a normally closed position by spring means or the like such that upon interruption of the current flow to the normal circuit and parallelly connected relay coil due to failure of the fuse type device the switch will return to the normally closed position thus energizing the emergency lighting circuit from the normal alternating current power source.

3. An emergency auxiliary circuit switch and lighting system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sensing means and switch are in the form of anelectromagnetic relay energized by the normal power source through the cur rent sensitive device and adapted upon de-energization to automatically connect the emergency lighting circuit to thenormal power source in a manner to energize the same, and adapted to automatically de-energize the emergency lighting circuit upon restoration of the current sensitive fuse type device to the normal operation condition.

, 4. An emergency auxiliary circuit switch and lighting system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sensing means comprises a direct current operated coil, a full-wave rectifier having a first input terminal connected to the first end of the normal circuit with the opposite input terminal connected to the second end of the normal circuit such that the full-wave rectifier is in parallel with'the normal circuit and energized simultaneously therewith by the normal power source acting through the current sensitivefuse type device, the direct current coil having one end connected to a first output terminal of the full-wave rectifier with the opposite coil end connected to the second output terminal of the full-wave rectifier, energization of the coil maintaining the switch in an open position, and interruption of the energization of the coil by failure of the current sensitive fuse type device effecting the electrical connection between the switch contacts in a manner to energize the emergency lighting circuit from the normal power source upon de-energization of the normal circuit due to the failure of the current sensitive fuse type device, and the restoration of the current sensitive fuse type device to a normal condition resulting in energization of the coil such that the switch is again opened thus automatically de-energizing the emergency lighting circuit by disconnecting the same from the normal power source.

5. An emergency auxiliary circuit switch and lighting system as claimed in claim4 wherein the sensing means and switch are in the form of an electromagnetic relay energized by the normal power source through the current sensitive fuse type device and adapted upon deenergization to connect the emergency lighting circuit to the normal power source in a manner to energize the same, and adapted to de-energize the emergency lighting circuit upon restoration of the current sensitive fuse type device to the normal operating condition. 

1. An emergency auxiliary circuit switch and lighting system comprising: a pair of input power lines providing a normal alternating current power source; a current sensitive fuse type device having one end connected to a first one of the input lines with the opposite end connected to a first end of a normal circuit consisting of an electrical load such as lights, electric power devices, and the like, and an opposite second end of the normal circuit being connected to the second one of the input lines; sensing means responsive to an interruption in the operation of the normal circuit due to the de-energization of the circuit by the opening of the current sensitive device; a switch actuated by the sensing means adapted to connect the normal power source to an emergency lighting and power circuit; the emergency lighting and power circuit having one end of the circuit connected to the second end of the normal circuit with the opposite end of the emergency circuit being connected to a first contact of the switch, a second switch contact being connected to the first one of the input lines, the switch adapted to electrically connect and disconnect the first and second contacts; whereby upon interruption of the normal circuit by opening of the current sensitive device the switch will electrically connect the two contacts of the switch in a manner to energize the emergency lighting circuit providing limited illumination and power in a general selected area until the normal circuit is returned to normal operation, with the switch automatically de-energizing the emergency lighting circuit upon restoration of the current sensitive device to the normal operating condition.
 2. An emergency auxiliary circuit switch and lighting system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sensing means comprises an energization coil of a relay, the coil being connected in parallel with the first and second ends of the normal circuit in a manner providing simultaneous electrical energization of both the coil and the normal circuit through the fuse type device, the energization of the coil retaining the switch in an open position interrupting the current flow to the emergency lighting circuit and preventing energization thereof, the switch being urged into a normally closed position by spring means or the like such that upon interruption of the current flow to the normal circuit and parallelly connected relay coil due to failure of the fuse type device the switch will return to the normally closed position thus energizing the emergency lighting circuit from the normal alternating current power source.
 3. An emergency auxiliary circuit switch and lighting system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sensing means and switch are in the form of an electromagnetic relay energized by the normal power source through the current sensitive device and adapted upon de-energization to automatically connect the emergency lighting circuit to the normal power source in a manner to energize the same, and adapted to automatically de-energize the emergency lighting circuit upon restoration of the current sensitive fuse type device to the normal operation condition.
 4. An emergency auxiliary circuit switch and lighting system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sEnsing means comprises a direct current operated coil, a full-wave rectifier having a first input terminal connected to the first end of the normal circuit with the opposite input terminal connected to the second end of the normal circuit such that the full-wave rectifier is in parallel with the normal circuit and energized simultaneously therewith by the normal power source acting through the current sensitive fuse type device, the direct current coil having one end connected to a first output terminal of the full-wave rectifier with the opposite coil end connected to the second output terminal of the full-wave rectifier, energization of the coil maintaining the switch in an open position, and interruption of the energization of the coil by failure of the current sensitive fuse type device effecting the electrical connection between the switch contacts in a manner to energize the emergency lighting circuit from the normal power source upon de-energization of the normal circuit due to the failure of the current sensitive fuse type device, and the restoration of the current sensitive fuse type device to a normal condition resulting in energization of the coil such that the switch is again opened thus automatically de-energizing the emergency lighting circuit by disconnecting the same from the normal power source.
 5. An emergency auxiliary circuit switch and lighting system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the sensing means and switch are in the form of an electromagnetic relay energized by the normal power source through the current sensitive fuse type device and adapted upon de-energization to connect the emergency lighting circuit to the normal power source in a manner to energize the same, and adapted to de-energize the emergency lighting circuit upon restoration of the current sensitive fuse type device to the normal operating condition. 